I'm back just in time to leave again

Don't you hate listening to people kvetch about how busy they are? Well, then I won't bore you with my baloney and excuses as to why my blog has gone woefully un-updated these many days. Suffice it to say that the commision I took on ate my life, but it's done, and I'm happy with it. Can't post any pix until it's unveiled at the honerees' shindig on June 16th.


Here's a slew of daily tiles. Some of these are bits of subject matter from the commision. Can't wait to share it.

I'm off to Chicago with my boys to celebrate my Yiayia's 90th birthday, then to Arrowmont for a week with Debbi to learn printmaking. I am bringing my lap top and camera so I'll post ya from there to fill you in on the big fat Greek birthday party et al. Later gator.

Gone Junkin

This past weekend was the third weekend of the month and you know what that means: Lakewood 400 Antiques with my friend Chris and priceless treasures for under $5. Here's a sample of this month's haul as well as some pictures from our excursion.

I love the paper junk. The matchbook covers were a great find. Perfect for my daily tiles. Keep a look out.

Real wooden checkers in their original box and a tin top.

Glass (emulsion?) photo plates. Gorgeous -- anyone know how to reproduce the images?

Probably not dishwasher safe, but my Gram had a set like this so I had to have them. I love the ice cream bowls especially, but with these colors sherbet would be prettier. And I got the whole set for $20!

I'm calling these three the Andrews Sisters. Their dad was from Greece -- like my dad and someone else's dad, too.

Marie Antoinette with her head still attached.

Is it me or does she look worried?

Took the rest of these at the market -

A suitcase of valentines.

Dentures.

I touched them completely by accident trying to get this shot, so appreciate it! Ach! No, I didn't buy any, but some darker assemblage artist would surely put them to good use.

A long shot of my favorite vendor's space.

I always feel like I want to boil myself after digging through all this musty junk, but it's totally worth it. Just make sure that you're up to date on your immunizations and are not squeamish about handling things that have been in dead people's mouths.

Bobby the Junkman.

Till next month.

I'm going to go play with my new goodies.

Studio Show and Tell

Deb Silva has come up with a great way to embarrass all of her fellow artisans who have a high tolerance for ambiguity (read: messy) -- a Studio Challenge! Hurrah!

I am going to show you the Before and After of my studio/former dining room (who has time for formal dining when there's so much cool stuff to make?) The Before is a distant memory -- the After is the way it usually looks. If not worse. Way worse.

Before

After

I will see Deb's challenge and raise the ante by going one step further in satisfying the voyeuristic tendencies of you perverted mixed media types -- I am going to let you look in my drawers. *gasp* The scandal!

This is a jewelry armoire given to me by my m-i-l. I put visual tags on each drawer to remind me of what is where and stocked it with my precious stuff......now it's like a junkery armoire.

I am tagging Debbi Crane and Jane Powell. Don't hate me girls, but you're it. And once you've aired your dirty laundry on your respective blogs, each of you have to tag two (soon to be former) friends, and so on, and so on..........check out Celine Navarro's creative space, it made me want an extreme studio makeover.

Happy Birthday, Mom

My mom is so special we get to celebrate her two days in a row. Here's Mom as a beautiful, doe-eyed bride, 42 years ago next month. My dad once said of my mother: "Anybody who doesn't like your mom has a problem." He's right. It's their loss. She's quick to laugh with you, quick to cry with you, happy when you're happy and happiest when she's feeding a large group. She's the only one I still want when I'm sick.

She taught her three children the importance of proper grammar, the value of good choices, and how to make a good red gravy. (Add sugar if it smells too acidic.) I remember her reading novels, working crosswords, riding her horse, and making Halloween costumes and scores of Christmas cookies. She would lay them on wax paper in shirt boxes and stack them on the dining room table. Pizelles, Italian Knots, Pecan Tassies, they were like little works of art.

I have benefited countless times from my mother's love and discipline, my earliest memory involving a book report on Tecumseh in fifth grade. I procrastinated. She came to the rescue, scolding me for waiting until the last minute, but sitting up with me, helping and proofreading until I'd finished. I learned my lesson.

I used to sit and watch her put on her make-up. I loved the smell of her perfume as she readied herself for a night out with Dad. My mother can open a seemingly empty refrigerator and make a marvelous meal, potatoes and eggs, spaghetti and peas, Athenian pasta -- she's an alchemist that can turn canned goods gourmet. It's never a bad time to call her, she's always happy to hear from you.

Happy Birthday, Mom. Keep swing dancing with Daddy and the years may never catch you.

Who are YOUR Neighbors?

And who comes to THEIR parties?

Please go see why I'm green with envy and why I wish I were Judy last night!

I mean, my neighbors don't even know who he IS!

Countdown

This is my 91st post. When I hit 100, there will be Blog Candy for a {lucky} commentator. Stay tuned.

I will be in Saluda NC this weekend with my friend Chris making a head call with MdM and Random Jane. How stoked am I?

In the meantime, here's a couple for ya:

Two-day

April's Last & 4 May Days

Rain Bonnet

The Fallen

Barbara Jean

My Puppet

Mama

I couldn't determine what word the baby doll above needed - Conn's suggestion finished it.

Collage Kids

These are (most) of my art students. Heidi -- the little one in pink front and center-- is stunt-doubling for Allani. My son Connor is holding up the issue of CPS where his name is in print. I rightly credited him for the whole idea behind the article. When I read it to the class they applauded when his name was mentioned. It was great. The rest of the gang, L to R: Alysha, Jasmine, Jordan, Mrs. P, Daniel, Kinley, Hunter, Reese and Zach.

Here are their projects. Be looking for some of these ideas passed off as my own in future articles. : P

Jasmine / Connor (he's the Tim Burton of the group.)

Reese / Allani

Alysha / Jordan

Daniel / Zach

Hunter / Kinley

Great job, guys! I am so proud of you!

Market Survey

Here's something I really need your opinion on:

Do you think the world can survive another line of rubber stamps?

Do you think the world can't survive without another line of rubber stamps?

I am toying with the idea of producing my own line, and you can be part of my super-scientific market survey.....

If I get 15 comments in the next 24 hours, good, bad or threatening, then I will call this a valid market sample and trudge ahead. If I don't, I will curl up in the fetal position and ask the children to fetch me chocolates.

Here's an example of what I was thinking about, in 1.5" square, of course.

The fate of this stamp waiting to hatch, and others like it, are in your typing hands. I know, I could just ask a magic eight ball for career direction, but what fun is that for you?

(Mom, Dad, you don't get a vote, sorry, but you'd skew the results and Price Waterhouse Coopers would catch it in the audit anyway.)